Who did the Second Continental Congress elect as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army?

The Second Continental Congress elected George Washington commander-in-chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775.

Washington was a Virginia planter and veteran of the French and Indian War when Congress selected him to lead the military forces of the thirteen colonies. He had represented Virginia in Congress and appeared in uniform, signaling his military experience and willingness to serve.

Washington accepted the post shortly after the army was established. He declined a salary, asking only that Congress reimburse his expenses. His leadership included organizing an army from uneven colonial militias, maintaining support through severe shortages, and directing campaigns against British forces.

Washington remained commander-in-chief until the army was disbanded after the Treaty of Paris ended the war. His military reputation helped him become the first president of the United States in 1789, but his Revolutionary War command came fourteen years earlier.